The present invention relates to the field of packaging. Specifically it relates to the packaging of commodities on pallets or skids.
Currently many types of commodities are packaged on pallets or skids. In order to protect the top layers of a commodity, such as sheeted paper, from damage caused by stacking, strapping, shipping or bumping a skid top is used.
The typical pallet cover is composed of a flat sheet of wood, masonite, or laminated paper and angle boards made of laminated paper. The skid top is fabricated by cutting the proper size flat piece from a sheet of plywood, masonite, or laminated paper. The angle board is cut to the needed length and then is stapled or glued on all four sides of the flat piece. The completed pallet cover is placed on top of the sheeted paper and banding or strapping is done to complete the packaging process.
This method of building pallet covers requires that a company using such covers maintain an inventory of flat stock, long lengths of angle board, and short lengths of angle board. It requires that a portion of the company's work force be engaged in constructing and assembling the pallet covers. Finally, the finished pallet covers can damage the top layers of sheeted paper due to the wood splinters, staples, and other materials used in their construction.
The present invention is a laminated and molded pallet cover that comprises one single piece. This unique pallet cover is formed of paper board or other substrates and may be shaped to fit the top of any sized pallet. The materials used in constructing this pallet cover are glue and paper board or other substrates. As a result, there are no splinters or staples or other elements which could damage the load on which the pallet cover rests.
Although many references to pallet cover and pallets are known, none are known to the inventor which have or combine the unique features of this pallet cover. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,202 (Carter) shows a laminated paper board pallet. In one version the pallet has upturned edges and one of the purposes of the upturned edges is to impart greater strength to the pallet. The patent discusses the grain direction of paperboard, and the fact that it has increased strength in the direction of the grain compared to the direction across the grain, and molding and laminating to form wired structures, but this discussion is directed entirely at corrugated runners which are attached to the bottom of the pallet. Even though the increase in strength resulting from proper grain direction is recognized there is no discussion of increasing the strength of the flat deck of the pallet by alternating grain direction in the laminations of the deck. The use of edge angles to protect goods and strengthen the platform are shown, but, the method of forming the angles at the corners is by scoring or cutting some of the layers so that the edge may be folded in spite of the fact that the alleged purposes include making the pallet stronger. This patent is different from the present invention in several respects. It deals with a pallet rather than a pallet cover. It does not disclose crossed-grain directions for additional strength. It does not disclose molding of the edges for greater strengths than would be provided by the method shown for forming the lip but does disclose molding runners for increased strength. It does disclose the advantage of having the lip and the deck surface in one piece for less fabrication expense but the method adopted does not decrease fabrication expense as much as the method of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,530 (Moog) shows a pallet having a platform made of corrugated paper board laminations or other sheet material. At the top of column 3 it is indicated that corrugated paper board, fiber board, and thin plywood are all possibilities as well as others. Cross laminating is disclosed in a single sentence. U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,887 (Dick) shows a load cap or top shaped like a box lid but having only 3 of the 4 sides. The side flaps are bent at score lines and are not molded of multiple plies. The material used is laminated plies of liner board made from recycled paper and the like. At the top of column 3 laminating plies of this particular material to achieve the necessary strength and rigidity is discussed. However, the invention is described as not limited to any particular fibrous sheet material or to laminated material. At the middle of the column 3 various characteristics of these materials are discussed but neither fiber directions nor different bending characteristics in different directions are discussed, although at the top of page 4 the inventor indicates awareness that the stiffness is different in the cross grain direction and the direction with the grain. In spite of that disclosure there is no discussion of cross laminating the material nor of any reason for doing so. U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,677 (Collingwood) shows a folded rather than a molded corner with cuts made to permit smooth bending. The material is laminated and the layers are cardboard or paperboard. A reinforcing layer is near the mitered cut line. There does not appear to be any molding step. The description refers only to folding. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,133 (Lund), a patent on laminated structures, generally the basic material is chipboard having a grain direction. Lamination and the formation of structures having flat surfaces related at an angle is disclosed but the layers are not formed into such shapes by molding. Rather, they are formed by joining separate flat pieces. In any single flat piece all of the layers or laminations have a grain direction along the same axis rather than having crossed laminations. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,847 (Jacalone) a pallet box having a top cover constructed much like any box cover with a top surface and short sides at right angles to the top is disclosed. As disclosed in column 2 at line 30 the top is formed of corrugated paperboard. The central rectangle is divided from the sides by scoring and the flaps are provided to fasten the respective sides to each other. There is no molding and no lamination of the flat plies with different grain directions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,004 (Liebel) shows pallet (slipsheet) on which a load of product is piled. At least two sides of the continuous bottom sheet have lips. The main portion of the sheet is a single layer with only the ends being laminated to reinforce the lips. As discussed in column 2 beginning at line 35 and extending through line 50, the narrow reinforcements have grain directions at right angles to one another. At the corners and along the narrow portions of some of the sides you do have laminations with cross grain directions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,717 (Ichikawa) shows a method of molding corrugated cardboard with a covering sheet that includes a layer that can melt in the press to bond or laminate the layers. The purpose is to produce a car interior roof lining. The base material is corrugated cardboard and the cover sheet, as disclosed in column 3, may be a laminate of a thin upper sheet and a thick sponge sheet alon with the thermal glue layer. There appears to be no disclosure anywhere in the patent as to the material of the covering sheet and certainly no disclosure that it has or should have a grain direction. U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,610 (Hannes) discloses a method of forming shaped laminates which specifically include fiber layers. There can be more than one such fibrous layer but it is contemplated that they will be glass fiber mats. There is no disclosure that they do or may have a grain direction and the use is for the interior of an automobile which does not appear to require any particular strength. U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,905 (Ogata) shows a method of molding corrugated paperboard. The corrugated paperboard does not have its final form before being molded. There is no discussion of grain direction and because the finished product is intended to be used as insulation; it is not apparent that strength is important. U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,325 (Graff) shows a method of molding several laminations of reinforced plastic materials. The only disclosed reinforcements are glass fibers. There is no discussion of grain direction, the only materials used are plastics, there is no discussion of strength of the materials, and the articles produced appear to be transparent or translucent domes to cover light fixtures. U.S. Pat. No. 3,284,260 (Best) is a patent relating to the making of composite articles such as canoes having a laminating structure. There is no discussion of grain direction but there can be multiple layers of plastic, chipboard, or metal mesh. Molding is employed to reach the final shape. U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,357 (Doerfling) relates to a molded contoured corrugated cardboard panel used as a headliner in an automobile which includes a fabric or other decorative surface. The panel is notched to allow it to be molded without breaking. There is no discussion of grain direction or any differences between the kinds of panels that may be molded so far as strength is concerned. The molding is apparently not very effective to change the shape of the panel since fasteners are placed at the V-shaped slots after they have been closed by molding in order to retain the shape. U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,855 (Lequeux) has essentially nothing to do with lamination but relates to fastening large plates together with a structure that looks a grommet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,172 (Fuji) shows a method of transforming corrugated paperboard to a curved form which then becomes the liner for an auto roof interior. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 there are multiple layers which may include plastic sheets, artificial leather, woven or non-woven cloth, and laminated materials as well as urethane foam. There is no discussion of strength or of grain direction. All the discussion has to do with smooth molding of the material without wrinkles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,020 (Houle) shows a fiberboard pallet which appears to consist of a single folded layer shaped to permit a stiffener to be inserted, with folds formed at scored lines. There is no discussion of lamination or of grain direction.